


Cannes Attack

by MarsKilljoy



Category: Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-18
Updated: 2014-02-03
Packaged: 2018-01-02 00:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1050425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsKilljoy/pseuds/MarsKilljoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on Tom's experience at Cannes Film Festival 2013, but what if it wasn't a fan but an attacker?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Chapter 1  


OC POV  
I had waited for this day for ages; I was finally going to see Tom Hiddleston, my favourite actor and my inspiration. I had been queuing for hours in the sun with the other fans, the anticipation growing as we all chatted about our different lives and dreams. With just a few minutes to go I was very excited, when I heard the screaming from further up the line I knew this was it, he had arrived! A minute later and Tom was walking down towards our part of the carpet. He waved to us all and greeted us with a cheeky grin, his eyes reflecting our delight. Seconds later and he was moving on down the line, I looked down to check the photos I had managed to snap, he looked dashing in his blue suit. Suddenly my instincts kicked in and I looked up to see a girl climbing over the security panel and running down the row towards Tom’s unprotected back and I knew something was wrong. Security were there but they wouldn’t get to him fast enough. Without a moment’s thought I vaulted over the barrier and raced to Tom’s side, pushing him down and out of the way, the girl hitting me instead. It wasn’t until the knife pierced my side that I realised quite what I had gotten myself into. Security was on us in seconds pulling us away from the fallen actor. The adrenaline flooding my system began to subside and my body collapsed to the floor as I clutched my side, the bloodied knife clattering to the tarmac beside me. Looking up I saw Tom turn towards me and a smile of relief crossed my face as I slipped into darkness. 

Tom's POV  
The festival was going well; Tilda and I had been very well received by fans and photographers alike. The stress of the previous evening’s travel issues slid away from me as I relaxed into the atmosphere. The fans were out in force and the weather was beautiful, it could not have been a better day. Smiling to myself I made my way down to the red carpet and then the incident happened. As usual I was taking my time, greeting the fans who had waited for hours to see us, there was no need to rush, I had arrived in plenty of time for the interview and I loved meeting my fans. I was just moving off to a new group of people when I heard shouts behind me, I turned just in time to see two people running towards me and then I was thrown to the floor, a body pushing mine to the side. For a few seconds we lay there and then security were there, pulling the two women away and helping me up, but something didn’t seem right, one of the women was struggling to stand straight. She looked up at me, her hand covering her waist, smiling as we made eye contact. Suddenly the blood drained from her face and she slipped from the guard’s grasp to the floor. A scarlet blade fell to the floor beside her as her eyelids slipped closed.  
Panic broke through my mind as I registered the knife and the scene before me, a fan had intervened to stop me from being hurt, had saved my life, and now she was lying wounded on the floor. 

3rd person  
Screams tore through the crowd as they saw the commotion before them. Many site security and police had arrived, to protect both the actors and the fans. The attacker had been removed from the area immediately but the wounded girl remained on the floor, awaiting an ambulance, medics fussing round like wolves at a kill, blood covering their gloved hands. Tom stood off to one side, guards had attempted to move him inside but he brushed them off unwilling to leave before she was treated. 

OC POV  
I could barely hear the voices around me above the buzzing in my pain addled brain. I had seen that Tom was okay and that gave me reassurance, I hadn’t failed in my task that was all I cared about. Hands pressed at my wound pulling me to the edge of consciousness and I fought not to cry out as the pain ripped up my side. Struggling against the throbbing I tried to open my heavy eyes only to fall into the darkness as another spasm wracked my body. 

Tom's POV  
My phone rang and I picked it up to find Luke beside himself on the other end. The news had travelled fast that I had been targeted and it was his main concern that I was removed from the situation and remained safe. I barely managed to get a word in edgeways as he continued to fret and plan for my accommodation to change and transport home as soon as possible. It was at this point I stopped him. “Sorry Luke, but I’m not leaving. I’m not running away back home because of one person. I came here to enjoy the festival and this is not going to stop me. I’m not going, especially not when there’s a young lady hurt because of me.” I hung up after Luke’s reluctant agreement and looked back over to the girl, I was still in shock from being so close to an attack but I was humbled by the sacrifice made by her for me. An ambulance had arrived now and the paramedics were loading the stretcher into the back, many of the fans applauding and cheering for the girl. Seconds later and the doors were shut, the ambulance driving away as the sirens wailed at the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

OC POV  
Clawing my way out of the darkness I slowly became aware of my surroundings, the persistent beeping of a heart monitor, the burning brightness of artificial light against my closed eyelids and the roughness of well laundered sheets. Slowly I opened my eyes, a little at a time, flinching from the intensity of the hospital lighting. I looked around the stark hospital room, unsurprisingly I had no visitors, my parents would not know I was here and there was no-one else who would visit. Closing my eyes again I thought through the events that had brought me here, I could remember as far as saving Tom but after that my memories became fuzzy. Before I had a chance to check my wound the door opened quietly and a nurse popped her head around the corner. Seeing that I was awake she moved into the room and came over to me, picking up the chart from the foot of my bed. I became nervous as I realised my GCSE French wouldn’t cover the language needed in this position and I worried that I would be unable to communicate with the hospital staff. Thankfully when the nurse spoke she had perfect English, removing my problem. I answered her questions as best I could, and requested that she not to contact anyone for me, I was still very tired and my thoughts slowed as the pain medication began to drag me into the darkness again, the nurse finished her duties and left so I could rest, promising to return to check on me in a few hours. My eyes slowly closed and I drifted into what promised to be a peaceful sleep, but that was not to be.

Tom’s POV  
The rest of the day ran smoothly with nothing but an increase in security to show for the events of the afternoon but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Why had that girl chosen to risk herself for me? What had I done to cause the other girl to attack me? Tilda looked after me for the rest of the day, placing a reassuring hand on my back during the press conference and making me smile with her dance on the red carpet, it didn’t stop the blackness of my thoughts but she was like a candle fighting the dark.  
The next morning I woke early, grabbed my iPod and went for my morning jog before breakfast. Once back at the hotel I ate quickly and showered before leaving for the city hospital, snatching up my phone, wallet and jacket on the way out.  
Walking along the street my eye was caught by a small gift shop with teddies in the window. Selecting one I paid the owner with a smile before tucking the toy under my arm and carrying on down the road. As a child I had always found comfort with my teddy, he kept me safe when my parents would fight; he still sat on a shelf in my room at home in London.  
Arriving at the hospital I walked over to the front desk. Doing my best to describe the girl I asked if I could visit her, the receptionist smiled before calling another nurse over and having a rapid conversation in French. The nurse smiled, shook my hand firmly, introduced herself as Marie and began to walk down the ward, asking me to follow. As we traipsed down the hallways, past the branching wards, each with the beds full, Marie asked me about the festival and if I was enjoying Cannes. After two sets of stairs and what seemed like endless corridors we finally came to a stop outside a small private room. Opening the door quietly Marie let me in, gesturing to the chair on the far side of the bed. The figure lying on the bed looked vaguely distressed in her slumber, her brows furrowed; glancing over to the patient chart I saw that her name was Zoë. Sitting down I set the teddy beside the pillow and reached out to clasp her hand, rubbing my thumb across the back to offer comfort. Having checked Zoë’s chart, her vitals and the bandage, Marie laid her hand on my shoulders as she left the room, gently closing the door behind her. I turned back to Zoë, studying her face as she slept, still holding her left hand in mine.  
Minutes later and I felt a soft tug on my hand, I looked up to see Zoë toss and turn in her sleep, her forehead creased in distress, a single tear rolling from her eye. Moving my hand to her shoulder I touched her gently, trying to ease her discomfort.

OC POV  
 _I was running, trying to get to him but I could barely move, like being stuck in treacle, I struggled but I was too late, the girl had got hold of his shoulder, twisting him round and pushing the knife into his chest. Only then did my feet start to move, flying me across the tarmac to his side, my hands fighting to keep the blood in his body but failing. I watched as the light left my hero’s eyes. Dropping to the floor I collapsed beside his body, still griping his chest, tears slipping from my cheeks. My hands felt heavy, blood still staining them taunting my failure. I felt a tug on my shoulder as a security guard pulled me away, another laying his coat over Tom’s body. Sobs ripped from my body as the initial shock fell away and left the raw grief of Tom’s death, a hand fell on my shoulder, trying to comfort me but it felt strangely real, more so than my surroundings._  
Stirring from my nightmare I slowly opened my eyes, blinking at the light, I could still feel the hand on my shoulder. Turning to see what was happening I couldn’t believe it; sitting in the chair beside my bed was Tom, it was his hand that rested on my shoulder. I lay still for a few seconds reassuring myself that I was awake, that this was what was real.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Trigger warning: Mention of self-harm and suicide. If this is a problem, contact me and I will try and write a separate chapter for you.

_Turning to see what was happening I couldn’t believe it; sitting in the chair beside my bed was Tom, it was his hand that rested on my shoulder. I lay still for a few seconds reassuring myself that I was awake, that this was what was real._

Tom POV  
‘Sorry darling; I didn’t mean to wake you, are you okay?’ Now she was awake the vulnerability was slowly leaving her features, a mask of confidence and the fire of youth slipping in place, the drying tears the only sign of her previous distress. I slowly withdrew my hand from her shoulder; the comfort seeming inappropriate and unneeded now.  
‘I- I’m okay thanks, better now I know that you’re safe. I’m sorry; your day must have been ruined.’ Her hands fumbled with the edge of the sheet, nerves crumbling her confident air.  
‘You have no need to apologise; I think perhaps my day would have been somewhat worse without your actions.’ I took her hand in mine, clutching her fingers, ‘I don’t think I could possibly say this enough but thank you, thank you so much for saving me, I owe you my life.’ I raised her hand to my lips, kissing it before gently setting it back on the bed.

OC POV  
My hand tingled from the touch of his lips, the warmth speeding through my veins to my heart. A shy smile spread across my face at his words and it seemed that now was perhaps the best time to say what I had always dreamed of saying.  
‘Tom, there is no-one I would rather have saved; you owe me nothing, if anything I remain in your debt. Since I first saw you in Thor my life has been changed and I have been able to make decisions I would not otherwise have done, because of the inspiration I gain from you.’ Biting my lip I looked down, fidgeting my hands on my lap, debating whether to carry on, this was very personal to me and I wasn’t sure he would want to know but I felt the need to explain myself. His rich voice interrupted my thoughts.  
‘It’s okay, take your time, you don’t have to tell me.’ I looked back up to see him smiling reassuringly, his sea green eyes holding his sincerity.  
‘No, Tom, I want to I just…’ Breaking off I looked at my hands again. I sensed movement next to me as Tom gently laid his hand on mine, stopping my fretting. Looking up again I gathered my emotions and began my story.  
‘I was twelve when I first started self-harming, I don’t remember why; there wasn’t ever really one reason. I couldn’t speak to anyone; I didn’t feel comfortable burdening them with my problems so I kept it bottled up, I had learned not to trust ‘friends’. Then someone told my school who told my mum and she hated me for it, still does.’ I paused, collecting myself for the next, and hardest, part. ‘A few years later and I had had enough, people, school, home, nothing really meant anything to me and I tried to kill myself. It wasn’t ever really going to happen, I messed around a bit but the worse that happened was being ill at school. No-one knew unless they worked it out. I don’t really know what made me stop but I did, just carried on with life as if nothing had happened. I would occasionally get my blade out again but not the same as before. This continued until 2013, the year when I watched Thor and became fascinated by the God of Mischief and the actor who portrayed him so well.’ I stopped again, looking up at Tom. ‘Thank you, Tom, for giving me the motivation to stop, it isn’t a part of my life that I regret but I am glad that I have moved on now.’

Tom POV  
I felt tears prick my eyes as the young girl in front of me poured out her life’s deepest secrets, why should someone so young have gone through so much turbulence in their life, and how could this be such a regular problem? I’m an optimist so I could never understand how someone could feel so lost that they needed to end it all, now it made more sense, though I could never do it myself. Rising from the chair I perched on the edge of the bed and leant forward, embracing her and kissed her temple. She tentatively raised her arms and hugged me back gently, her chin settling on my shoulder.  
‘Thank you for telling me this, it’s an honour to be able to help people in this way, and for you to be honest with me.’ I slowly withdrew from the hug, running my hands across and down her arms to keep the contact. Wetting my lips I hesitated, not wanting to upset her.  
‘Would it be okay, and you can say no, I don’t mind, if I could see your scars?’ I felt rude asking and instantly wanted to apologise but my fears were allayed when a small smile broke onto her face and she turned her wrists over in my hands, revealing the thin white lines. Clasping her arm gently I ran my thumb over the inside of her wrists before dipping my head to kiss each line gently. Pulling back up, I held her gaze and smiled softly.  
‘Please promise me you won’t do this again.’ I had to say it, although she had already said she’d stopped.  
‘I promise, Tom, I haven’t since last January and I won’t ever again.’ She smiled, her hand clutching onto my forearm. I pulled her to me again, being careful of her stitches, and encompassed her in another hug.  
We sat like this for a while, both enjoying the peace of the moment. Eventually I felt her breathing begin to even out and looked down to see her eyes slipping closed. Deciding it would be best for her I gently woke her up, encouraging her to lie back against her pillows. Reaching to the side I grabbed my earlier purchase and presented him to her.  
‘Sorry Zoe, I will leave now to let you get some rest, but Benny here will look after you.’ I gave the teddy to her and she instantly snuggled him into her arms, her eyes drooping again as she whispered a thank you. I gathered my jacket from the back of my chair, checking the pockets before fastening it, ready to leave. I bent down once more to kiss her forehead before leaving the room with a promise to return tomorrow. Glancing back as I shut the door I saw her cuddling the teddy to her in her sleep.

 

A/N: In light of the recent events at the Donmar Warehouse I would just like to make it clear that I wish no harm upon Tom or any of his associates. This story has been written for the enjoyment of me, the writer, and the readers.


End file.
